TWF Commissioner Tom Donovan's Interview
BTS - The Truth behind the Tournament
Hello TWF fans, Davis Marsden here, reporting to you the inside scoop from ''Behind The Scenes''! During a phone conversation with Tom Donovan, TWF Commissioner, I was able to get the answers to many questions that I myself, along with the rest of the TWF fans, were asking after the conclusion of the April 3rd show in Seguin TX. If you weren't there you can get the update from the results blog.
Mars: Mr. Donovan, we are curious to know the reasons behind your actions on April 3rd. What led you to turn on your former tag team partner, Les Mayne and align yourself with Dane Griffin?
TD: Hahaha! You know, sometimes I amaze myself Davis. Jimmy Perez never saw it coming. The fans are like sheep. I tell them who to like and what to do, just like Jimmy. This was never about the fans. Everything I did, I did to get at Jimmy Perez. I knew when the Judge ruled in my favor that I would control the TWF, and look at me now!
Mars: Right. But can you address the question on everyone's mind.
TD: Of course I can. Just like I stated Saturday night after laying waste to that puppet, Les Mayne. I carried him. I carried him for over a year and it was time for me to move on.
Mars: And by moving on you mean Dane Griffin?
TD: (laughing) Dane Griffin. You know Dane is of Irish descent just like me. That automatically makes us brothers.
Mars: So how did you manipulate Dane into seeing things your way?
TD: There was no manipulation. You must be as big an idiot as the rest of the TWF fans. Hello! Dane was in it from the beginning. I made it look like I was pulling for Les, but the whole time it was all about Dane.
Mars: But at the start of the tournament, he was never even in consideration. For crying out loud, Jimmy had kids pull names out of a bucket to fill the open spots! How did you ever pull off getting Dane in, if that was your premeditated screw-job?
TD: That was the easiest part. First, Dane approaches Jimmy as a 'long time rival' of mine. Once he was in good with Jimmy, he only had to pretend to like the fans, you know, kiss hands and shake babies, or something like that. Having his name drawn was as easy as him having Jimmy's trust. When Jimmy wasn't looking, I had Dane trash all of the envelopes and replaced them with about eight more, all with his name in them. The rest is history.
Mars: In the semi-final round, how did Brother Luthor come to replace Al Farat? Was Al Farat really hurt in his altercation with Chaz Taylor? And is there any truth to the rumor of "Heat" between you two?
TD: Was Farat really hurt? Probably in his pride. I would have paid him off anyway, just like I did with Luthor. 8 seconds, really? Luthor is a lot stronger than that. I wanted to keep Dane healthy and punish Les. Les was already a beaten man thanks to Wallace Gordon. To coin a phrase, "it was like shooting fish in a barrel.". As far as your rumor goes, Al Farat and I go back for many years. He and I were the first ever 'NWA dual tag team champs', holding both NWA Texas and NWA Oklahoma titles, not to mention three other straps at the same time. Bottom line is this, I know Farat and he knows me. We have problem at the moment, thanks to him hitting me with a spike a few months ago at a NWA show in Houston. We currently don't see eye-to-eye.
Mars: After the match, Dane clobbered Jimmy with the heavyweight title and you began to kick him while he was down. Is that what we can expect from you two next month when you face Jimmy in the ring, one-on-one? Or will it be a mob of your guys attacking Jimmy?
TD: Look when it comes to Jimmy, I can handle him by myself. I don't need a "mob" as you call it. I'm an Irish-American, we live for fight... hey wait a sec. That might be the best thing you've said tonight.
Mars: What might be? What did I say?
TD: Look Marsden, your time is up. I've got some new business to take care of. Mob business (laughs)!
Well gang there you have it. Les is out, Dane is in and we shall see what unfolds as we head to Flippin Arkansas, on April 17th. - DM